I have a theory

Roberto Montes

If you want to see
elephants arrange themselves
into concentric circles
leave out the body
of one of their own
The center of a hurricane
shudders with calm
and this moment can be
recognized as the eye
What doesn’t blink is usually
surrounded by its aftermath
I make few connections
underneath my own disobedience
I do not burn the dollar
but that does not save it
We are responsible I think
for certain outside curvatures
Not every circle is complete
but can be stitched together
I refuse to try
to be appropriate I will not close
my eye to any man
I will see buildings desecrated
by the absolute calm I am
an absolute calm in the world
that collects around me
and is so lovely in its not knowing
when to stop counting
bodies I am perfectly calm
and not bloodied or stained
in any way When the rafters
crash into my curling hair
I laugh even as children are adopted
into the number as it rises
I am calm I do nothing
and nothing returns the favor
You could inspect my hands
if I had not abandoned them
in a perfect collection of manners
and both eyes are open and
not irritated by the happening
Not even dust can reach me
I am surrounded by elephants
who are not confused as they mourn
Perfectly calm
were it not for their ears
which cannot help themselves
But who among us makes that claim

This poem appear in the poetry collection I Don’t Know Do You .